


What A Lovely Ribbon

by DigitalThespian



Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson
Genre: Father-Son Relationship, Getting Together, Good Parent Joxaren | The Joxter, I'm no expert, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Misunderstandings, Snusmumriken | Snufkin Has Paws and a Tail, Symbolism, The Joxter is a mumrik, cat behavior explanations, playing fast and loose with genetics, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2019-07-15
Packaged: 2020-04-06 23:29:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19072882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DigitalThespian/pseuds/DigitalThespian
Summary: Snufkin gains a tail, meets an interesting fellow, and returns to Moominvalley.Absolutely nothing after that point goes the way he expected.





	1. Chapter 1

"Oh dear, this may prove troublesome.." Snufkin looked down and behind him at the tail that had appeared sometime during the night. He had already cut a small hole in his trousers and threaded the tail through, but one problem remained he had yet to solve.

He couldn't get it to _stop moving_.

Worse still, it seemed to move solely in response to his emotions. Even now his worry over the issue was causing it to whip back and forth. He took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself. "Perhaps I should continue as though nothing is wrong." He looked back to his camp and went about his morning routine.

After a quick breakfast, he began to pack up the campsite. After a few moments he felt a jolt in his tail, followed by a crashing sound. He sighed and turned to find he had knocked his coffee pot over. "This is going to take some getting used to." He looked back at his tail again, which had resumed its thrashing.

He paused for a moment more. "I could always wind it around my leg in my trousers.. No, folks would think I was hiding a creature of some sort in there. I suppose I'll just have to learn to manage it." He picked up his coffee pot, and went about finishing the task at hand. After the camp was packed away and his backpack was securely on his back, he turned back to the path. "A shame it's the end of winter and not the beginning. I'll never hear the end of it from Little My if I can't get this under control."

Unbeknownst to Snufkin, a lone figure was following him, and had been for several days. They peered at the boy, and laughed softly in disbelief. "Well, I'll be.. He _is_ a mumrik," There was a pause. "..Wait, Little My..? That means.." The figure stood and smiled to themselves. "We're headed to the same place. Moominvalley. What business do you have there, I wonder..?"

They kept their distance, always staying out of sight, but they couldn't help but walk with a spring in their step. "Well, I suppose it's time to make my entrance." They skirted around the path Snufkin was taking, moving quickly and silently.

Snufkin rounded a corner on the path he was on, but stopped abruptly when he saw what appeared to be another creature almost exactly like him resting in the crook of a tree branch. They were even dressed much the same, aside from color, right down to the hat pulled over their eyes. Their tail was hanging below them, and swished lazily from side to side, tip twitching every so often. Snufkin stood and stared for a moment, then shook himself out of it. "Hello there! Not to tell you how to live your life, but that is an awfully odd place for a nap, I would think."

The figure stretched lazily, and tipped the brim of their hat up with a paw. "I was tired, so I took a nap. Surely a wanderer such as yourself understands the joys of living as you please."

The tip of Snufkin's tail flicked lightly. "I do indeed. How did you know I'm a wanderer? I could simply be a traveler."

"Well, you're a mumrik, aren't you? Same as I." The creature (mumrik?) with the red hat let himself fall backwards off the branch, quickly tucking in his knees to flip over fully before landing on the ground on all fours. The man stood and put up his paws. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you there. I promise I'm not coming after you."

Snufkin furrowed his brow. He hadn't reacted at all, how had the mysterious fellow known he was nervous? "I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

"Your tail says otherwise." Snufkin looked behind himself with a frown. "I'm a mumrik, same as you. I know what it means when our tails curl in an s-shape down behind us. It's the pre-fight-or-flight stance. The 'I'm not sure I like what's going on here, and I'll cut you if I have to' feeling."

Snufkin tried to keep his face impassive, but he could feel his tail drifting upwards until it was just a bit above level. He huffed. "Is that so?"

The figure stopped for a moment. "It _just_ grew in, didn't it? Well, lucky for you that we stumbled into each other! Perhaps we can travel together for a bit, and I can explain some things for you."

Snufkin's tail lifted a slight bit more, and he nodded hesitantly. "Where are you going? I don't want to travel the wrong direction."

"It's a lovely place, you really should visit. It's called Moominvalley." Snufkin's tail lifted all the way up, tip curled over. "Oh, I see you're already familiar!"

"I really do hate this tail." Snufkin pulled the brim of his hat down to hide his face.

"Whatever for? It's a part of you, just like your mouth, which you use to smile, or frown, or talk. All of those are ways to communicate things. Emotions are one of them, but words aren't good for that sort of thing. Too.. clumsy." The creature grinned. "So we mumriks have tails, so we can let them do the talking for us."

"I.. suppose not having to talk about it is a reasonable trade." Snufkin nodded. "Alright, I'll travel with you, on the condition that you tell me why you're headed to Moominvalley."

"I'm going to see a dear old friend of mine. Perhaps I'll see my dear Mymble as well. What about you? What draws you to the valley?"

"A dear friend of my own. It sounds rather silly to say it aloud, but his name is Moomin. It's as if I'm trying to claim I know a prince, saying my friend shares the name of the valley. I never did find out if the moomins were named after the valley or the other way around..." Snufkin trailed off, realized how much information he had volunteered, and in such a short time!

"Moomin had a son, then, eh? I suppose it's only natural. I guess that makes him Moominpappa, now. We're going to the same place, alright, right down to the building. Oh, I suppose I should introduce myself. I'm the Joxter."

Snufkin stopped in his tracks. " _You're_ the Joxter? The one from Moominpappa's memoirs?"

"He wrote about me? I'm touched!" The Joxter grinned. "The one and only."

Snufkin stared for a moment, then shook his head with a smile. "Well, I suppose we don't have to worry about getting along. We both wander, and we share a hatred of park keepers. People call me Snufkin."

"Oh, excellent! Well, shall we? I'd much prefer to get there before Moomin wakes- Moominpappa, excuse me, wakes up. I have to have time to plan a suitably dramatic entrance, but it also has to look effortless. I have a reputation as a layabout to uphold, you know."

Snufkin chuckled as they continued walking. "I'll let you keep the spotlight away from me, then. I much prefer the quiet moments with Moomin. My Moomin, that is, not your Moomin. Moominpappa is nice, but my Moomin is really quite something."

"Ah, he your sweetheart? Moomins are good reliable creatures, you'd be hard pressed to find a bad one in the bunch. You've got quite the beau, if he's anything like his father."

Snufkin's tail lashed back and forth. "No, he's just my best friend, nothing more."

There was a pause, and the Joxter's voice was softer when he did respond. "But you wish he was, right? How do you know he doesn't feel the same way?"

"He has a romantic attachment already. To a girl."

"Don't worry about that, moomins don't take much stock in things like that. If you're likable, that's enough for them. Some of them prefer different traits, of course, but such is life."

"I suppose. He's still attached, though. I don't want to cause any trouble."

"A wise decision, that. My advice is just to cherish him, if he makes you happy. Maybe it won't be romantic, but that doesn't mean you can't love and support each other all the same."

"Thanks. That does make me feel a bit better." Snufkin tilted his head to look at the Joxter. "Now, I need to hear the details of the time you escaped the police after tearing up more than thirty private property signs."

The Joxter laughed, throwing his head back with a paw keeping his hat from falling. "Oh, I'm glad he wrote about that. Well, it was quite a few years ago..."

 

* * *

 

Snufkin found the Joxter's company surprisingly tolerable, though he would still prefer to travel alone. He also learned about what it meant when his tail did different things.

"See, right there! That up down up motion; that's the one I was talking about! Sorry about your toast, by the way." The Joxter grinned unapologetically, Snufkin's toast caught between his teeth. "That's an important one to know, it's a sign that you've pissed a mumrik off without actually earning their aggression. Though if you keep antagonizing them it frequently becomes aggression; but I think you know that one. The poofed out tail."

Snufkin leveled him with an unamused stare. "I'll keep that in mind," He deadpanned.

"So, we're about a day out, do you want to arrive separately?"

Snufkin cocked his head to the side, and his tail swished gently. "What you you mean?"

"Well, you said your Moomin wishes he could come with you, I wouldn't want him to think that it was him not being good enough to accompany you, since you're willing to put up with me." The Joxter smiled lopsidedly.

"Not for the whole season though," Snufkin pointed out.

"Yes, but would he know that at a glance? All he would see was you arriving with a companion."

"You may have a point. Very well, I suppose it's time to take my leave then. Thank you for the information, I would have been a long time puzzling it all out."

"Especially since you keep all your emotions very close to your chest. You really should let people in more, it's not good for you to push them all down like that." The Joxter sat down, and pulled his hat over his eyes. "May as well catch a nap, then I'll head into the valley after you."

Snufkin shrugged. "Suit yourself." He turned and walked away, steps light as he returned to the only place he visited time and again.

 

* * *

 

Snufkin sat on the bridge, and pulled out his harmonica. He began to play, tail lazily flicking behind him. The gentle melody filled the valley, and soon the birds had come to listen, singing along and flitting off to share the tune with their own loved ones. Snufkin heard the patter of footsteps coming towards him, and he smiled to himself. He didn't need to look to know it was Moomin, just as he didn't need to check to know his tail was pointing straight up.

"Snufkin!!" Moomin careened around the bend in the path, skidding to a halt just before the bridge. "Snuf- Oh! You have a tail now!"

"I do indeed, Moomintroll. One day it was just suddenly there. It's quite peculiar." Snufkin smiled and patted the bridge next to him, and Moomin's face lit up, a grin forming as he ran to sit beside his friend. "Did you sleep well?"

"As well as I usually do! This may be awfully forward of me, but I really must ask: Can I touch your tail? I've never seen a tail like yours!" Moomin leaned in with a hopeful expression, and Snufkin found himself unable to say no.

"Well, thank you for asking first. Yes, you may, but be careful. I'm still getting used to it myself." Snufkin turned away slightly, allowing Moomin to reach out and grasp his tail gently.

"Ohh, it's so soft!!" Moomin's expression was filled with wonder, and he stroked it with a thumb before reaching down to stroke the length of it with a paw. Snufkin let out a strangled noise. "Oh! I'm so sorry, Snuf, I wasn't thinking-" He let go, and the tail returned to its upright position, quivering slightly. "I didn't mean to make your uncomfortable-"

"Moomin, it's okay, really. It's just more sensitive than I realized." Snufkin turned back towards Moomin. "I'm not upset."

Suddenly a shrill voice called out. "Snufkin! Why do you have a tail!?" Little My came running around the bend, depositing herself in Moomin's lap.

"I just do. Couldn't really say why." Snufkin looked back to the river, tail whipping from side to side. It kept gently hitting Moomin on the hip, and he giggled.

"It really seems to have a mind of its own!" Moomin smiled, then looked at Little My. "And what are you doing here?"

"I'm here because Snufkin needs to tell me a story! Everyone is just waking up, so there's nothing going on right now. It's boring." She crossed her arms petulantly.

Moomin unceremoniously dumped her onto the ground by standing up. "Well, I was actually going to ask Snufkin to accompany me on an expedition for the Hemulen."

"Ugh! I'm leaving, I'm not getting roped into another research expedition!" Little My scampered off back towards Moominhouse, presumably to sow the seeds of chaos somewhere else.

Snufkin chuckled. "An expedition? I'm interested. Where are we going?"

Moomin grinned and held out a paw for Snufkin to take. "Wherever you want." He smiled sheepishly. "I may have lied about the Hemulen part. I just wanted to spend some time with you without Little My, or anyone else, really."

Snufkin felt his heart flutter, and he could feel his tail thrashing behind him in excitement. He took Moomin's paw and pulled himself up, noting how very soft it was, and noting how very bereft he felt after Moomin let go. His heart did not calm down, however, as he quickly realized Moomin had said he wanted to be alone with him. "Well, an adventure certainly sounds fun. Perhaps we could go explore."

"I actually wanted to show you something! I found it a few days ago; I actually woke up a few days early this year. I've been awfully lonely without you." Snufkin could swear he saw a hint of a blush on Moomin's cheeks, though he didn't notice the nervous swish of Moomin's tail.

 _No_ , he thought, _I'm just seeing what I want to see._

"Well, lead on my dear Moomin." Snufkin smiled as Moomin very nearly dashed away, and his smile only grew when he reached to catch Snufkin's paw in his own, dragging him along.

"You're going to love it! Come on, it's not too far!" Moomin pulled Snufkin along, and Snufkin allowed himself to enjoy the feeling of Moomin's paw wrapped around his own.

"Are you going to tell me what it is?" Snufkin tilted his head questioningly.

"It's a surprise, I can't just _tell_ you!" Moomin didn't look back when he said this, and Snufkin blushed at the idea that maybe he was taking them somewhere romantic-

 _No_ , he thought, _Moomin is just a good friend who's excited to show me something._

Snufkin laughed good-naturedly, even as his tail whipped behind him. "I look forward to it then."

After a little while of traveling down a forest path, they came to a cave that Snufkin had never seen before. "Oh, is this the place? It looks mysterious."

"It's in here, actually! Though this is mysterious, the surprise is even better." Moomin startled like he had remembered something, a happy look on his face and his tail perking up, but he quickly hid his expression and tugged Snufkin along. "Come on! Only a little further now."

"Lead the way." Snufkin followed, his eyesight proving very useful in the darkness. He saw Moomin looking back at him, a strange expression on his face. "Is everything alright?"

Moomin jumped slightly. "Oh! Yes, of course, why wouldn't it be?" He sounded a tad nervous, and Snufkin raised an eyebrow.

"You were giving me a strange look."

"Oh, I completely forgot you can see in the dark..." Moomin kept his gaze resolutely forwards. "I was just.. checking on you." He finished lamely.

"I appreciate it, but I should be the one looking out for you, then. You can't see in the dark, after all."

Moomin paused, then spoke softly. "Would you like to walk closer to make sure I don't run into anything?" He didn't face Snufkin, and there was a tremor in his voice. Was he..?

 _No_ , he thought, _Moomin is just a little worried in this dark cave, the poor thing._

"Of course, I'd be happy to." It was at this moment that Snufkin realized he was going to be very close to his friend, and he felt a stinging sensation as the tip of his tail clipped the cave wall. "Ow! This tail is really quite troublesome sometimes..."

"Why don't you try wrapping it around your waist?" Moomin had turned to face Snufkin.

"I suppose.." Snufkin reached around himself, and tried to wrap it around, but the angle was awkward and there was no good way to attach it. He didn't fancy the idea of tying a knot in his tail, so he resigned himself to letting it whip against the walls. "No good. There's no way to fasten it."

"Oh well. Let's go, we're almost there!!" Moomin grabbed his paw again- why _did_ he keep doing that?- and Snufkin allowed himself to be pulled along once again. He wasn't going to say anything, if Moomin wanted to hold his paw, he would let him.

Soon a light became visible, a large open chamber of sorts. When they cleared the tunnel they had been in, Snufkin couldn't help but let out a gasp. "It's beautiful..."

There was a great green and blue crystalline formation in the center of the chamber, and part of the ceiling had fallen in, allowing a single sunbeam to fall directly on it, scattering shades of green and blue all around the room. "I found this and I immediately thought of you." Moomin was gazing at the crystal, a smile on his face and his fur dappled with soft greens and blues. In that moment, Snufkin thought that he may never see something so beautiful again, and that it was a terrible pity the crystal had to be upstaged so.

Snufkin looked away quickly, his tail curling under him between his legs.

 _No_ , he thought, _I can't let myself pine for him._

"All that said.. That's actually not the surprise. Not all of it, anyway." Moomin turned to face Snufkin, and reached out to take his paw again. "I also wanted to tell you something.."

Snufkin's eyes grew wide, and his tail raised straight up behind him again. "Yes?"

 _No_ , he thought, _there's no way... right?_

"I've known you for years, now, Snuf," He felt his heart flutter at the nickname. "You've always been so good to me. And I've been thinking.."

Snufkin was frozen, disbelieving.

_...Right?_

Moomin looked away, a blush on his face. "I.. I don't ever want to be without you, Snufkin. My heart aches at the thought. And I know that you're a wanderer, and that you need your space. I'm just happy knowing that you're coming back." He looked back, tearing up slightly. "I want you to know that you'll always have a place to come back to with me."

Snufkin was floored, his tail quivering. "Moomin, I.."

"It's okay, Snuf. I know you don't like talking about stuff like this." Moomin leaned in slightly-

"What about Snorkmaiden?!" Snufkin's exclamation caught Moomin off guard, and he yelped.

"What about her?" Moomin was confused, though he didn't move away.

"I-" Snufkin swallowed heavily. "I thought.. you were together."

Moomin looked bewildered. "No, not at all! We were only together for a short period a few years ago, but in the end we agreed we weren't a good match."

"Oh." Snufkin's voice was smaller than he would have liked. "I.."

"Oh, this didn't go according to plan.. I made us these, because I thought..." Moomin turned and picked up a small box that had been stashed next to the wall of the chamber. He opened it to reveal two ribbons, one green with an S embroidered in blue on both ends, the other blue with an M embroidered in green.

Snufkin's eyes widened further, and he reached out to touch the blue ribbon. "Moomin.."

"..Do you like it..?" Moomin looked nervous, his tail lashing behind him.

"How could I _not_?" Snufkin reverently took the green ribbon with a solemn expression. "May I?"

"Oh, er..." Moomin seemed to be a strange mix of pleased and apprehensive.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?" Snufkin froze.

"Well, um.. Do you.. know what these are? Oh no, I didn't even think about the fact that you might not know.." A tear ran down Moomin's cheek, followed by another. "How much else have I misunderstood..? What if.." He looked up at Snufkin, beginning to cry in earnest. "Snufkin, I'm so sorry, I thought.. I should have known, since you thought Snorkmaiden and I..."

"Moomin, it's okay, don't cry." Snufkin quickly but gently set the ribbon back in the box, then took Moomin's face in his paws, gently wiping away the tears. "Do I know what?"

"Oh, _Snufkin_! You're so good to me.. I don't know what I did to deserve you. Even though I've put you on the spot with all my feelings, you're still taking care of me." Moomin smiled through his tears. "I suppose there's no dancing around it any longer.. I.. the ribbons are for couples." He winced. "Specifically.. given by couples to express their desire to be wed."

Snufkin stared in shock once again. "You.. You want to marry _me_?"

Moomin looked down and nodded silently. "But now I know that you didn't.. didn't see things the same way I did." He moved to close the box, but Snufkin caught his paw gently.

"That's why you looked so distraught earlier. I picked up the wrong ribbon." Snufkin began to put the pieces together. "And why you were in such a hurry. You wanted to get here while the sun was still coming in." He blushed. "And why you held my paw the whole way, even when you didn't need to."

"Yeah. I'm sorry, Snuf." Moomin looked outright dejected.

 _No_ , he thought, _that won't do at all._

"Now that I know what's going on.. Would you like to start your heartfelt proposal over again?" Snufkin smiled softly.

"You mean..?" Moomin looked up, eyes wide, and he took a step closer to Snufkin.

Snufkin smiled and gestured for him to continue.

Moomin looked him in the eyes and squared his shoulders. "Snufkin, you are my dearest friend, and you make me happy like nothing I've ever known. I made us these ribbons so wherever we are, we'll always have something to remind us of home. I want us to be able to take care of each other and go on adventures together-" He began to choke up, the tears flowing once again.

"May I?" Snufkin reached a paw out towards the box.

"Y- Yes, of course!"

He opened the box and took the green ribbon again, holding out his other paw. "May I see your tail, dear?"

Moomin flushed, turning and pulling his tail forwards so Snufkin could reach it. His blush intensified as the ribbon was tied on, but he was the most flustered by the loving care with which Snufkin handled his tail. After he was finished, Snufkin pressed a gentle kiss to it and let go. "I love you, my Moomintroll. I always have. I just thought you were spoken for, so I hid it. I may have to go each winter, but make no mistake; leaving you has always been the hardest part, year after year." He pressed his nose to Moomin's snout. "Nothing would make me happier than to be your husband."

"Oh, _Snufkin!_ " Moomin wailed as he threw his arms around his love. "Oh how I've _longed_ to hear you say those words!" He quickly pulled away, however, reaching into the box. "I realized earlier that since you have a tail now, you can tie your ribbon to your tail too, same as mine!"

"Would you do it for me? I'd rather like that, I think." Snufkin reached back and pulled his tail around, holding it out.

"Gladly," Moomin breathed. He gingerly tied the ribbon to Snufkin's tail, then after a moment, gave it a gentle kiss just as Snufkin had. He looked up to find Snufkin hiding his face. "Snufkin?"

"I see why you were so flustered when I did that now.."

Moomin's laughter echoed through the caves.

 

* * *

 

It had been a few hours once the two finally returned to Moominhouse, paws clasped. They smiled and laughed and danced around as they went, and everyone who saw them knew that something wonderful had happened.

"Moomin! What is that on your tail?! You said you were going on an expedition!" Little My was running towards them at full speed, and Snorkmaiden wasn't far behind, having noticed the bows herself.

"Moomin, you _proposed_?!" Snorkmaiden cried out with glee.

"Oh my, things are about to get hectic, aren't they?" Snufkin shuffled his feet nervously.

"You can go to your tent if you like, I can answer everyone's questions. Then once the fuss has died down, maybe you could come over for dinner?" Moomin squeezed his paw reassuringly.

"That would be nice. Thank you, dove." Snufkin wearily smiled, then nuzzled Moomin's snout before turning to leave. As he left, he heard a shriek from behind him as Moomin was set upon by the two girls.

"Did he call you _dove_!? That is so precious!!"

"Gross! Why'd he kiss you in public like that?"

"Oh hush, Little My, it's romantic!"

Snufkin chuckled as he made his way back to his campsite. When he arrived, he noticed a familiar figure sitting by a fire, where he would typically start his. "Oh, Joxter. You seem to have made yourself at home."

"I could say the same for you! You've certainly changed your tune since yesterday, mister 'Oh he's just my best friend,'!" The Joxter grinned and plucked a fish on a skewer off of the rock it was leaning on to cook. "Fish?"

"I'll have to pass, I'm having dinner with the Moomins fairly soon. He's fielding all the questions so I don't have to." Snufkin sat down and pulled out his harmonica. "Yes, it seems you were right after all. He and the girl weren't attached at all, and he took me to see something first thing after I arrived. Turns out it was a beautiful crystal in a cave, but the real surprise.." He pulled his tail around, gazing fondly at the embroidered M.

"You've got it bad, huh? Though typically people don't go straight from best friends to married." The Joxter smiled softly. "Though I suppose I don't have room to talk, I fell in love with my Mymble the moment I laid eyes on her."

"So does that make you Little My's father?" Snufkin looked over at the Joxter, then shook his head. "No, that doesn't seem right either."

"If I _do_ have a child, I don't know about it." The Joxter shrugged. "Well, isn't it time to be heading to dinner?"

"I suppose you're right. I'll be off then." Snufkin stood to leave.

"Well, don't leave me behind! I'm here to visit Moominpappa, after all! And I only just arrived, I've yet to see him!" The Joxter leapt up and followed behind.

As they approached Moominhouse, Snufkin noticed there were an awful lot of people there. Then he noticed the hastily erected banner that read 'Congratulations Moomin and Snufkin!' "Oh dear. This may be a problem."

The Joxter grinned. "Worry not, I'll carve you a path to the house proper." He strode forward, calling out. "Moominpappa! It's so good of you to throw a party for me like this!"

Snufkin stared with a bemused smile, then shook his head and quickly snuck into the back door of Moominhouse. He made his way into the kitchen, where he found Moomin and Moominmamma. "Oh, Snufkin! I tried to stop Snorkmaiden, really I did, but you know how excited she gets-"

Snufkin took Moomin's paws. "Moomin, dear, it's alright. I had help getting in, and as long as I can avoid the crowd I'll be fine." Snufkin kissed Moomin's snout gently. He stared into Moomin's eyes a moment, a soft smile on his face. "Moominmamma, does that ever get old? As it stands, I can hardly imagine a time where it wouldn't be just as thrilling."

She smiled warmly at the two. "No, it never gets old. It changes, from thrilling to warm and comforting, but it never grows old."

Moomin pulled back slightly. "So what's this I hear about you having help?"

Just then, the front door opened and Moominpappa entered with the Joxter in tow. "You knew very well the party isn't for you, you rascal!"

"Ah, I see you made it in, Snufkin!" The Joxter grinned what was quickly becoming- in Snufkin's mind- his trademark grin.

Moominpappa scoffed in disbelief. "You know Snufkin already?!" He sobered, then nodded. "Oh, I see. You were helping him get past the crowds. That's.. remarkably clever, Joxter."

"Shh, don't go spreading that around." The Joxter winked at Snufkin before turning back. "Say, have you seen the Mymble, lately..?"

Moominmamma smiled knowingly. "Well, ordinarily she wouldn't be near here, but with the party I think you might be in luck. Chances are she'll arrive at some point tonight."

"Oh, excellent. Anyway, I'll be going now. Enjoy yourselves, lovebirds!" The Joxter waved lazily as he left the house.

"So, Snufkin, welcome to the family!"

Snufkin was floored for the second time that day. "I.. Thank you."

"I told you, you'll always have a home with me, Snuf." Moomin kissed his cheek.

"With us," Moominmamma corrected.

"Let the boy dote on his husband, dear." Moominpappa chuckled, and took her by the paw. "I think Snufkin could use some space. Come, let's start getting the tables set up."

Snufkin and Moomin both blushed, but didn't separate. "Thank you, Moomin, for everything."

"I should be thanking you." Moomin wrapped his arms around Snufkin, and Snufkin was happier than he had ever been.

"Let's just call it even then, shall we?" Snufkin buried his nose in Moomin's shoulder, running his fingers through the fur on Moomin's back. "Moomin?"

"Yes, Snufkin?"

Snufkin hummed contentedly. "Can I sleep here tonight?"

"Oh, of course you can! Would you like me to set up the couch, or would you like to stay with.. me..?" Moomin sounded hopeful, and it was almost too much for Snufkin's heart to bear.

"I was hoping I could stay with you. I'm growing rather attached to the feeling of being pressed against you." He pressed a kiss to Moomin's cheek.

Moomin gave him a proper kiss. "Then you can stay with me as long as you want. Forever, even, if you like."

"I think I _would_ like that." They shared another kiss, insulated from the crowd and the noise outside. They were in their own little world in the kitchen of Moominhouse, and it had never been brighter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Joxter drops by with unexpected- but not unwelcome- news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little follow up piece!

"My dove, have you seen my hat anywhere? I seem to have misplaced it," Snufkin made a show of looking dramatically under every piece of furniture _except_ the armchair, which wasn't quite wide enough to hide the edge of the brim poking out from the sides.

"No, I'm afraid I haven't, and a shame too, it truly must be lost forever." Moomin nodded solemnly, though his eyes twinkled with mischief as he made eye contact with his husband.

"Whatever shall I do? One of my few treasured possessions, gone forever!" Snufkin fell to his knees, resting his forehead on the floor. He shot a glance to the side, only to see a small head duck back inside his hat, which was beginning to produce a peculiar giggling noise. "Oh! But what is this, my hat was here all along! Moominpappa, come quickly!"

The giggling intensified as Snufkin scooped up his hat, and shining eyes gazed back up at him. There was a child nestled in the top of the hat, which was upturned like a bucket. There was another giggle, and a small paw reached up to poke Snufkin's face. "You can't fool me, you weren't sad at all! Your tail is waving straight up like Moominpappa's does whenever he sees you come home!"

Moomin had walked up alongside and rested his head against Snufkin's shoulder, looking down at their son. "He's got you there, dear. That troublesome tail of yours, ratting you out again." He kissed Snufkin's cheek and their son giggled. "Then again, there was something to be said for the timeliness of it all. Your tail growing in only a few weeks before my proposal? It was as if nature looked at you and said 'You know, this Snufkin fellow certainly is rather dashing, and capable,"

Snufkin groaned good-naturedly. "Moomindove," He turned his head away to hide his blush as best he could; he would use his hat, but some things were more important. His smile turned to his husband, and he pressed a gentle kiss to his snout, causing Moomin to briefly interrupt his impromptu toast with a giggle.

"And kind, and clever, and oh so lovely. Certainly he deserves someone to love and cherish him for the rest of his days; and I know just the creature. I shall give this Snufkin a tail, and it shall be as elegant as he is, and Moomin shall tie a bow on it and everyone shall know what a wonderful creature this Snufkin is." Moomin blushed and kissed Snufkin again. "They would have seen how wonderful you are regardless, but.."

"What's for dinner?" Snufkin and Moomin both blinked once, twice, as they experienced first-hand the raw moment-ruining power that only a toddler could bring to bear. They chuckled, exchanging one last kiss before Snufkin set the boy down, retrieving his hat.

"Well, if you'd like, I was about to go fishing. You could come along, and I can teach you all about how to properly catch a fish; maybe soon you'll be able to catch dinner!" Snufkin had turned and knelt down to be on the same level as his son, and Moomin felt his heart swell with affection at the sight.

"Okay! Let's go! Can I ride on your shoulders?" The child jumped in place excitedly, holding his arms up, and cheered when Snufkin hoisted him up with a twirl. He situated himself on Snufkin's shoulders, then pointed to the door. "To fishies!"

"You heard the man, to fishies!" Moomin pointed as well, laughing as he did. "Have fun, dear."

Snufkin waved, then exited the cabin. Moomin smiled at the door as it closed behind them, then turned back to the kitchen. He was quickly stopped by a knock at the door followed by.. silence. "Whoever could that be? Everyone I could imagine dropping in like this knows to just come in, so who..?"

Moomin opened the door to find none other than The Joxter, who looked like he had just run a great distance in rather little time. "Goodness gracious! Whatever happened to you? Come in, come in!" Moomin pointed at a comfy looking chair at the dinner table, complete with accompanying teacup and saucer. "Just don't sit there, or drink that cup of tea."

He turned away for a moment, and smiled as he heard a sipping sound from behind him. The Joxter always did do what you told him not to do; the trick, Moomin had discovered, was to tell him not to do whatever it was you actually _wanted_ him to do. Moomin was sure The Joxter knew what he was doing, and that he appreciated Moomin indulging him anyway. "So, what has you in such a tizzy? You've been coming to visit for years, and I've never seen you like this."

The Joxter took another sip of tea, then took a deep breath. Well, this was certainly unexpected. The Joxter was rarely _nervous_ \- "Oh, it's not a foreboding, is it?"

"No, nothing of that sort, I've just.. I've just learned something and I needed to talk to someone, and Snufkin is out with his son, _your_ son, and I figured now was the best time-"

"Joxter, you're always welcome here, you know that. Now, what did you learn?" Moomin smiled patiently; he had picked up the skill of calming others from Moominmamma as he got older.

"Your son has eyes just like my father's. I had my suspicions, but I wasn't sure, and neither was the Mymble," Moomin gasped as he realized what The Joxter meant by all this.

"Are you saying _you're_ Snufkin's father?!" Moomin was incredulous, his mouth dropping open.

"Aye, I am saying that. I don't know what to do, I know I've been absent, but ever since I taught that boy about his tail I found myself dwelling on what it's like to be a positive force, to be there for someone like that, and so I kept coming to visit, and then your son-" Moomin's surprise only grew as The Joxter began to tear up. "I want to be there for him, Moomin, he's been through so much by himself, and I know he's not alone anymore, and I know there's no way I could have known all those years but I was still _gone_ ," He took a shuddering breath. "I want to be a good father, I never thought this sort of thing was for me in the past, but.. We could have been traveling together, or, rather, traveling alone but at the same time in the same general area,"

He shook his head rapidly. "But that's not the point, it's too late for Snufkin to have a father while growing up, but it's not too late for me to be a good grandfather."

Moomin beamed from ear to ear. "It's never too late to be a good father, either. Would you like me to take the little one when they return so that you and Snufkin can have some time to talk?"

The Joxter looked up at Moomin gratefully. "That would probably be best." A look of surprise crossed his face, and he scrunched up his nose. "Oh, that makes you my son-in-law, doesn't it?" Moomin threw his head back and laughed at this, and The Joxter held up his paws. "That came out wrong!"

"Yes, that does make me your son-in-law. And that makes _you_ my father-in-law." There was a twinkle of mischief in Moomin's eye, and as he expected, The Joxter made a rather unflattering face, followed immediately by panic just as before. Moomin laughed again, then waved a hand in front of his face airily. "I'm riling you up, Joxter. I know you don't mean anything by the faces."

The Joxter relaxed with a sigh, then gave Moomin a mock glare. "Some son-in-law you're shaping up to be! Teasing me at every turn!"

Moomin was the picture of innocence. "I thought that was my father's job," He looked The Joxter straight in the eyes as he said this, and barely held in a laugh as The Joxter turned bright red.

"I'm certain I don't know what you're implying," The Joxter refused to make eye contact, but before Moomin could form another witty reply, the front door opened and he heard the repeated thuds of little feet making all due haste to the kitchen.

"Moominpappa, look! I caught a fish! Snufkinpappa taught me!" He stopped, looking up at The Joxter in confusion. "You look like Snufkinpappa if he wore a red hat," The Joxter looked nervous for a moment, but the child continued. "His green one is better than your red one though,"

Moomin laughed silently as The Joxter clutched his chest with a faux horrified expression. "And who are you to decide such things!"

"I'm Longtail!" A tail unwound itself from around Longtail's waist, and it was soon obvious where the moniker had come from. The boy stood up to The Joxter's knees, but his tail was easily twice as long as the boy was tall. "That's what people call me, anyway. I decided that I _love_ my long tail, and so I'm keeping the name, too." He nodded decisively, the matter settled. The two adults in the room followed suit, The Joxter doing so largely unconsciously.

"We decided to let him choose a name that he felt was right; and choose he did." Snufkin's voice came from the other room, and Snufkin himself followed soon after, holding a bucket of fish. "Here, let me take that from you, thank you, Longtail." He plopped the fish Longtail had been holding into the bucket. "So, what brings you around, Joxter?"

Moomin took his son by the hand. "I have to go down to Moominhouse, want to come along?" The boy nodded rapidly, followed by an excited hop.

"Sure!" He hopped up on Moomin's shoulders and the two ambled out of the house, with Moomin shooting Snufkin a look before he went, tilting his head towards The Joxter.

"So, I take it you wanted to talk about something?" Snufkin set about preparing the fish, but The Joxter held out a paw, gesturing for him to sit. He paused, then set down the knife he was holding, wiping his paws on his tunic. He sat down, brows furrowed. "Is everything alright? It's not a foreboding, is it?"

The Joxter laughed once, sharply. "No, but your husband asked me the same thing. I've.. I've learned something recently, and I needed to tell you." He looked up only to see Snufkin with a soft smile, nodding encouragingly. "Snufkin, I think.. _I'm_ your father. Your son.. he has _my_ father's eyes, almost exactly, but other than the tail he's just like you, with a hint of that Moomin stockiness. As for the tail.. Mymbles _do_ have such long tails,"

Snufkin didn't say anything for a moment, contemplating. "You know, I had always thought in the back of my mind that you and I were terribly similar. This.. is a lot less surprising than I would have expected." The Joxter sagged in obvious relief.

"Thank you, I'm- I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you-" The Joxter's head drooped, and he clutched his elbows, voice shaking. Snufkin stood and walked around the table, gently putting his arms around The Joxter. He jolted, then relaxed and hesitantly returned the embrace.

"Joxter," Snufkin's voice was soft, and he squeezed a little tighter as emotion filled his voice. "Pappa," The Joxter's breath hitched, hesitantly pulling Snufkin closer. "You didn't have to help me all those years ago, we just happened to be going to the same place. You didn't know. But you did help. And you kept helping ever since, too. If you cared enough to help a Mumrik you didn't know, I know you would have cared even more had you known. I'm just happy that- that I _have_ a Pappa,"

Snufkin broke off, as he struggled to put words to his emotions, but his emotions were too much. " _Pappa!_ " He burst into tears as he cried out, and his grip tightened; as if The Joxter would float away, never to return were he to be let go.

Soon The Joxter had begun to cry as well, and for a long while there was only silence aside from the happy tears of the newly reunited duo. After a while the two parted, grins painted on both their faces. "We're having a picnic tomorrow, just Moomindove, Longtail, and I; would you like to come along?"

"I wouldn't want to intrude on your father-son time," The Joxter ducked his head slightly.

Snufkin gently set a paw on his father's cheek. "I'm not sure if you are existentially capable of interrupting my father-son time; after all, is spending time with me not inherently father-son time? And it would be grandfather-father-son time, to boot."

The Joxter looked at Snufkin with wonder, then spoke with a serious determination and an expression to match. "I'm going to do everything I can to be the best grandfather ever."

Snufkin smiled back at him, then pulled him back into another hug, speaking softly into his ear. "I know you will."

**Author's Note:**

> I might revise this rather heavily, and I might not? We'll see.  
> EDIT: Fun fact, the working title for this was "Teaching people how to read cat body language with the power of gay fanfiction"


End file.
